The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books

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British Library Publishing
Martin Edwards
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The main aim of detective stories is to entertain, but the best cast a light on human behaviour, and display both literary ambition and accomplishment. Even unpretentious detective stories, written for unashamedly commercial reasons, can give us clues to the past, and give us insight into a long-vanished world that, for all its imperfections, continues to fascinate. This book, written by award-winning crime writer and president of the Detection Club, Martin Edwards, serves as a companion to the British Library's internationally acclaimed series of Crime Classics. Long-forgotten stories republished in the series have won a devoted new readership, with several titles entering the bestseller charts and sales outstripping those of highly acclaimed contemporary thrillers.

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Contributor Bio

Martin Edwards is an award-winning crime writer best known for two series of crime novels set in Liverpool and the Lake District. He is series consultant for British Library Crime Classics and the editor of six previous anthologies in the series, as well as being Vice Chair of the Crime Writers' Association and President of the Detection Club. The Golden Age of Murder, his study of the Detection Club, has won several awards since its publication in 2015.

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